The United States Senate will reconvene this morning at 10:30am to debate and vote on amendments to the Farm Bill. There are a total of 73 amendments the Senate is debating. Voting resumes at 11:00am. It is expected the Senate will conclude voting on amendments today and conduct the final vote.
All votes on nutrition programs have been concluded. Unfortunately Senator Gillibrand’s amendment to restore cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) failed. The cuts to SNAP will affect nearly 500 thousand households. These households will lose an estimated $90 per month that they used to put food on the table. This will undoubtedly boost the hardship that many families face in our area.
Despite cuts, the Capital Area Food Bank supports the Farm Bill moving forward during this session. It is still possible for the Senate to create a strong Farm Bill that supports the nutrition programs relied on by the people the food bank regularly serves. If the Senate decides to wait until next year to finalize the Farm Bill, there may be potentially larger cuts to food assistance.
How You Can Help
Your calls are critical to the success of strengthening the nutrition title in the Farm Bill and potentially reviving Senator Gillibrand’s amendment. The Capital Area Food Bank network has done a great job educating our legislators on the needs of their constituents. We must not let up. Phone calls to both of your U.S. Senators will make a difference this morning. Ask to speak to the person on staff who works on the Farm Bill, and simply state:
Thank you in advance for all your help!
You can count on my support.
After addressing more than 70 amendments over the past several days, the Senate voted on the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 (the 2012 Senate Farm Bill, S 3240).
On the Senate floor, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) stated that the bill cuts subsidies, reduces the deficit, and creates jobs by ending direct payments and eliminating and streamlining programs. She highlighted the “critical” nutrition title of the bill, which she said provides temporary support to families who have fallen on hard times. Senator Stabenow added that the bill also provides opportunities to promote healthy food and to support local foods. Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) said the bill is an example of how Congress can work in a bipartisan manner. He highlighted that the bill reduces mandatory spending and cuts the deficit by $23 billion. Senator Roberts added that while it may not be the “best possible bill” it is the “best bill possible.”
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) voiced his support for the bill and for the Agriculture Committee leadership and staff. He said that he hoped the House views what the Senate has done as an example of cooperation. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) echoed his support for the bill and for the Committee leadership, and called this one of the “finest moments” in the Senate’s efforts to pass a bill in recent times.
The bill was subject to a 60-vote threshold, and passed by a roll call vote of 64 to 35.
YEAs —64
Akaka (D-HI)
Alexander (R-TN)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Baucus (D-MT)
Begich (D-AK)
Bennet (D-CO)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Blumenthal (D-CT)
Blunt (R-MO)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Brown (R-MA)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Coats (R-IN)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Coons (D-DE)
Durbin (D-IL)
Enzi (R-WY) Feinstein (D-CA)
Franken (D-MN)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Grassley (R-IA)
Hagan (D-NC)
Harkin (D-IA)
Hoeven (R-ND)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inouye (D-HI)
Johanns (R-NE)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lugar (R-IN)
Manchin (D-WV)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR) Mikulski (D-MD)
Moran (R-KS)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Reid (D-NV)
Roberts (R-KS)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Snowe (R-ME)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Tester (D-MT)
Thune (R-SD)
Udall (D-CO)
Udall (D-NM)
Warner (D-VA)
Webb (D-VA)
Wyden (D-OR)
NAYs —35
Ayotte (R-NH)
Boozman (R-AR)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Graham (R-SC)
Hatch (R-UT) Heller (R-NV)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johnson (R-WI)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Lee (R-UT)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Paul (R-KY) Portman (R-OH)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Risch (R-ID)
Rubio (R-FL)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Toomey (R-PA)
Vitter (R-LA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wicker (R-MS)
Not Voting – 1
Kirk (R-IL)
Courtesy of Karen Kudelko
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